E norbis peters co



(No Mode 1 f) w W. P. KIDDER.

DESK.

IPA/ENTE 21 514% No. 570,311. Patented Oct.27, 1896. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VELLINGTCN P. KIDDER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,311, dated October 27, 1896.

Application filed November 20, 1895. Serial No. 569,594. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WELLINGTON P. KID- DER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Desks, Tables, and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a table-desk embodying my improvement, the swinging shelf moving'in a horizontal path and being secured to a supporting frame which is hinged to the desk at one of its corners, so that when in one extreme posit-ion it is at the front of the desk, near the leg-space thereof, and when in its other extreme position it is at the end of the desk. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of what is shown in Fig. 1, the extreme front position of the shelf being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a vertical section on line 4 at of Fig. 3, showing the standard or post in full lines, but broken ofi at each end; Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

The object of my invention is to produce a table or desk having acorner-shelf adapted to be swung in a horizontal plane from a position at the front of the desk through various intermediate positions to a position at the end of the desk. The shelf is especially intended as a support for a type-writing machine, but may be used for reference-books and other purposes. When at the end of the desk, the shelf and contents are out of the way, but are easily pulled around to the front of the desk for use by the person sitting at the leg-space.

In the drawings, showing my invention in the best form now known to me, A is an office table or desk, and A its horizontallyswinging corner-shelf. The shelf is hinged at a corner of the desk in line with a diagonal thereof, so that it may be swung from a position at the front of the desk to a position at the end of the desk, as shown by Fig. 2. When at the front of the desk, it is in convenient position for the manipulation, by a person sitting at the leg-space A of a typewriting machine, for example, and when at the end of the desk it is out of the Way of the person so sitting. Shelf A is supported by a hinged bracket a, which is hinged to the post or standard B by the upper hinge-plate a and the lower hinge-plate or hinge-block a ,the post B serving as a pintle and having fixed thereon plates or brackets a a, which are secured to the desk A. The hinge-plates a and a are preferably connected together by a rod a", and the bracket has, preferably, three branching arms a a of, extending upwardly from the lower hinge-plate a toward the three outer corners of the shelf A to help support the shelf. The hinge-plates a a are adapted to slide up and down on the post B, so that the shelf may be adjusted to different elevations, and it is held at any determined elevation by means of the sleeve b, which is securely clamped by the set-screw b.

The construction of the bracket a above described and also its adjustability to different elevations are highly desirable, but may be varied widely, according to the shape and size of shelf A and the taste of the maker, as will be plain to all skilled in the art. At the same time I prefer the construction shown, as the rod a and the arms a a a give to shelf A a rigidity and to its outer corners a support approximating a vertical support that is highly desirable when the shelf is used as a type-writer support. It is also very desirable, particularly when used as a type-writer support, to have it adjustable to difierent elevations.

In the preferred form of construction the lower hinge-plate a is formed with cam-surfaces gt one for each extreme position of the shelf A, and the sleeve b is formed with a projection b (see Fig. 5,) against which one or the other of the cam-surfaces a of the hinge-plate a strikes, forming a stop, when swung to either extreme position. The hinged shelf is automatically retained in either of its extreme or adjusted positions by the friction of the cam-surfaces a and the coacting surfaces of the projection Z7 The hinge-plate a may make a blunt stop instead of having a cam-surface.

The shelf also preferably has on the two sides which swing contiguously to the desk stops a with rubber or other soft or elastic material on the end to avoid marrin g the desk when the shelf swings around.

The fixed'hinge plates or straps a 0: are preferably flattened and set up, respectively,

against the under side of the top and bottom of the table, the casters of the table raising it sufficiently to allow the lower plate a to clear the floor. This form of construction avoids screwing into the exposed polished part of the table, and the Whole apparatus can be detached without leaving exposed screw-holes or other disfiguring marks. The plates (0 a are preferably branched at right angles, so that one branch will extend along the under side of the front part and the other branch Will extend along the under side of the end part of the table, to secure greater rigidity. The upper plate a is preferably adapted to slide on the post B, so that the apparatus can be adjusted to any table.

hat I claim is- 1. The combination of a desk, table or the like With a swinging corner-shelf; a supporting-bracket therefor having perforated hingeplates; a post secured to the table by brackets attached to the under side of the top and bot tom of the desk and passing loosely through said perforations; means for adjusting the position of the bracket on the post and means for automatically retaining the shelf in an adjusted position, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a desk, table, or the like with a swinging corner-shelf a supporting-bracket therefor; a post secured to the table by brackets; means for adjusting the position of the bracket on the post, and means for automatically retaining the shelf in an adjusted position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, on this 10th day of October, A. I). 1895.

\VELLINGTON P. KIDDER. -Witnesses:

WILLIAM A. COPELAND, A. I. CRAWFORD. 

